Re: Pt. Defense Targetting

A few week ago, I posted the following question about vehicle combats and
Point Defense Targetting:

> According to the specs. for the Sword Worlds TL11 Gram grav-tank (inside
> cover, "101 Vehicles"), it has a "TL11 Point Defense".  This is listed in
> the MT Ref.  Man. as:
>         "  Point defense targetting allows the weapon to fire at incoming
>          missiles and projectiles.  Hardpoint mounted weapons automatically
>          have this capability.
>            For each direct fire weapon which must also serve in a point
>          defense capacity, install one point defense targetting module."
>
> Now, since the Gram grav-tank has the following weapons:
>                                 Pen/        Max.    Auto  Dngr
>                      Ammo Rnds. Attn Dmg    Range   Tgts  Spc  Sig  ROF
>         Plasma PA-11  -    -    44/5 20   VDist(5.1) 2     15   H   40
>         3 cm AutoCan HE   500    2   6    VLong(3.5) 4     3    M   200
>                      HEAP 500    5   4    VLong(3.5) 4     -    M   200
>                      KEAP 500    4   4    VLong(3.5) 4     -    M   200
>
> I assume that the PA-11 automatically has PTD (Pt. Def. Targetting) and
> the one add-on mentioned is for the autocannon.  Anyway, how does this
> get used in vehicle combat?  Does the tank gunner give up a shot at a
> target during a combat round, and elect to use PDT to eliminate incoming
> rounds instead?  Or does PDT automatically provide some kind of defensive
> DM for the tank and no explicit crew action is required?

I got an answer telling me that the PDT weapon can either be used for
PDT or standard combat in any given round, but not both.  What I still
need to know is: If the weapon is used from PDT, does in automatically
succeed?  Isn't there a roll for TOTAL/PARTIAL/NO success?  If it auto-
matically succeeds, then it seems way too powerful to me.

What's the straight scoop, guys?

Regards,

        Mark F. Cook

USMail: User Interface Technical Support
        Hewlett-Packard - Interface Technology Operation
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